Gear box



May 26, 1925. 1,539,785

J. L. STUART GEAR BOX Filed April 22. 1924 jiivenan ya n, Z4...

Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN LENAR/D STUART, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

GEAR BOX.

Application filed April 22, 1924. Serial No. 708,157.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN LENARD STUART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gear-boxes especially adapted for the operating rods of awnings.

The object of my invention is to provide a universal gearbox, which is capable of be ing mounted in any one of a variety of positions, and which is adapted for either right or left hand operation. I need to construct, therefore, but one style of box to suit all conditions, thus minimizing the manufacturing cost. A secondary object of my invention is to provide a gear box which is selflocking, so that the awning, when once set in any given position, will remain in such position, and will not fall to its lowest position by its own weight.

A preferred embodiment of my invention will be described hereinafter, with the understanding that its form and construction may be varied, within the limits of the claim hereto appended, without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in said claim.

lVith this in view my invention will now be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is perspective exterior view of my gear-box.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. This view also shows portions of the support for the box and the vertical awning operating rod, such parts being omitted from the other views.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, the cover plate 3 being removed to show the interior mechanism.

, In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a case having a front 2, a back 3, and two opposite open sides adapted to be closed by removable cover plates 4. In practice I prefer to form the case 1 of cast iron, and the plates 4: of sheet iron or steel, but other suitable materials may, of course, be used. The case 1 is provided with preferably symmetrical vertical flanges 5 extend- 111g its back 3 and its two sides, and

said flanges are provided with holes 6 for the reception of bolts or other fastening means 7, asshown in Fig. 3, by means of which the box may be secured to a support 8. The side cover plates 4, Fig. 1, extend to the edges of the flanges 5, and are secured thereto in any convenient manner, as for example by screws 9.

It will readily be seen that, on account of its flat back 3 and two flat sides 4:, all provided with flanges 5, my box may be mounted in any desired position on the building wall. Thus for example it may be mounted.

as shown in Fig. 3, projecting from the wall 8, or it may be set with its front 2 flush with the face of the wall, or in an angle in the face of the wall, either side, or the back, or any combination of them, being secured to some suitable member of the wall structure. The box 1 contains a horizontal rotatable shaft 10, which has a head 11 projecting through the fron 2, and said head is provided with a socket 12 for the reception of the usual removable crank, not shown. A gear 13, preferably in the form of a worm, is secured upon the shaft 10 within the box, referably by means of a pin 14, Fig. 2. Said worm 13 meshes with and drives a worm wheel or gear 15, removably mounted, preferably by means of a pin 16, Fig. 8, upon a vertical shaft 17, whose upper end projects through the top of the box and carries a head 18 adapted for connection with the vertical operating shaft 19 of the awning. By properly proportioning the worm 13 and the worm gear 15, the device may be made self-locking, i. e. so that the horizontal, or driving shaft 10 cannot be turned by power applied to the vertical or driven shaft 17.

The vertical, or driven shaft 17 is reversi ble, end for end, in its bearings in the-box 1, by merely driving out the pin 16, drawing out the shaft 17 endwise from the top of the box, and inserting it from the bottom of the box. The box is then inverted, which brings the head 18 of the shaft 17 again to the top, but on the other side of the horizontal or driving shaft .10, so that the direction of rotation of said vertical shaft 17 is reversed with respect to that of said horizontal shaft. Thus the box is universally adaptable, not only to any position, but also for rotation of the awning shaft 19 in either direction.

It will be seen that, when the cover plates 4 are in place, the box is any inclosed, so

sides; a horizontally disposed shaft journaled in said front and rear Walls; a driving gear secured upon said shaft within the easing; a vertically disposed shaft journaled in said top and bottom and reversible end for end; and a driven gear reversibly secured upon said vertical shaft and meshing with said driving gear.

.ln testimony whereof I have signed my- 10 name to this specification.

JOHN LENARD STUART. 

